ORIENTAL MUSIC. 239 



mortals, and the invention of the seven-stringed vina is attributed 

 to the god Nareda. Saraswati, the Minerva of the Hindoos, is repre- 

 sented playing on the lute, Krishna on the transverse flute, and harp- 

 ists are adorned with wings. 



In Egypt, the formation of the three-stringed lyre is attributed to 

 one of the secondary gods. Osiris is regarded as the giver of the flute, 

 Isis of songs, and Thoth of musical theory. In Egyptian hieroglyph- 

 ics the nofre, a long-necked stringed instrument played with the 

 hands, is labeled " good." In a satiric papyrus, now at Turin, Ra- 

 meses III, as a lion, is playing chess with a favorite, figuring as a ga- 

 zelle ; and in another papyrus in the same collection these characters 

 reappear playing respectively a lyre and harp, a crocodile is perform- 

 ing on a nofre and a slave on the double pipes. Music occupied a 

 much more important place in the religion and daily life of Eastern 

 peoples than it does among ourselves, where it is often regarded as an 

 ordinary amusement or diversion, and unworthy any higher function. 

 Hence the unwillingness so commonly manifested by very many re- 

 ligionists, having the best possible intentions who accept the Bible, 

 and think they regard all its teachings to be cross- questioned with 

 reference to their belief in its many statements respecting this art. 

 They find the sacred writings of the Hebrews bearing testimony to its 

 worth and power as well and fully as those of other ancient nations, 

 and that not only the Jews (who were always extremely fond of and 

 susceptible to its influence) are addressed, but also succeeding Chris- 

 tians ; for, according to the New Testament, the blessed ones in heaven 

 are unceasingly occupied in music. 



The Hebrews were taught that Jehovah gave Moses special direc- 

 tions for the making of silver trumpets and a code of signals. They 

 were allowed to mend musical instruments in the Temple on the Sab- 

 bath-day ; believed the art to be efticacious in curing mental aberration, 

 and the prophets not only employed it, but, as in the case of Elisha, 

 appear to have found its use essential. Their music-schools, the ar- 

 rangements for the Temple-worship, the various styles of composi- 

 tion adapted to different social occasions, prove the time and thought 

 spent in the practice of music to have been, at least from our point 

 of view, excessive ; yet in no passages is long-continued indulgence 

 in its exercise censured or moderation advised. The high estimation 

 in which this art was held in times long past and our difficulty in 

 understanding the matter find an illustration in the meeting of Saul 

 with the company of prophets descending a hill, each playing upon a 

 musical instrument. It would seem exceedingly strange to us if a 

 king or president should meet and join a body of learned men in a 

 similar manner. 



The technical study of Oriental systems of music is rendered dif- 

 ficult from the fact that these are overlaid with a mass of symbol- 

 ism, that makes accurate, positive definition frequently unattainable. 



